This invention concerns an automatic procedure and machine necessary to realize the same, for sewing pre-ironed patch pockets.
Pre-ironed patch pockets are currently applied by means of special sewing machines that automatically sew the pocket on to the clothing item in question, such as the relevant section of pants, a shirt or a jacket.
These machines are characterized by a double clip under the sewing head, mounted on a trolley that moves along two orthogonal axes.
Said double clip consists of a fabric-holding plate and a pocket-holding plate operating within the first; more specifically, the larger fabric-holding plate features a wide center opening conforming perfectly to the shape of the pocket to be applied on the fabric.
The shape of the pocket-holding plate is similar to that of said opening, but smaller so as to house within the same allowing a space along the perimeter along which the needle moves during sewing.
Said double clip is designed firstly to hold the pocket and clothing fabric separately above the sewing surface and secondly to pull the pocket and clothing item together along a closed curved line, coinciding with the sewing line.
In this type of sewing machine, the clothing item and the pocket are loaded manually by the operator.
In particular the operating cycle includes the following phases:
A) Manual loading of the clothing item under the sewing head and under the raised double clip; PA1 B) Lowering by the operator of the fabric-holder plate; PA1 C) Manual positioning of the pocket in the centering opening of the fabric-holding plate; PA1 D) Lowering by the operator of the pocket-holder plate; PA1 E) Starting by the operator of the sewing phase followed by the automatic unloading of the sewn clothing item that is lifted and stacked in front of the sewing machine, just in front of the sewing station.
Some sewing machine models feature an automatic device for loading the clothing item; this device consists essentially of a special clip that lifts the clothing item from a storage station and transfers the same under the fabric-holder plate which then lowers automatically on the fabric when this is released by the carrying clip.
Even in these cases, the pockets are loaded manually by the operator who first places the pocket into the centering opening on the fabric-holder plate and then lowers the latter, and starts sewing.